Machine for packing cigarettes and like articles



May 29, 1934. G. o. HORGAN MACHINE FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND LIKEARTICLES Filed Feb. 25, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet l //v VENTOI? y '29, 1934-G. D. HORGAN 1,961,047

MACHINE FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Feb. 25. 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I6 [:32 .1 WW 2; R '3 FIG. 3. ag m FIB.4. E a II 4 77 763 J /0&] I 10 a v /////m m 12-- 24 1;

y 29, 3 s. D. HORGAN 1,961,047

MACHINE FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND LIKE ARTICLES Filed Feb. 25. 1931 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTO'R B M M v zmvs.

Patented May 29, 1934 UNITED STATES MAGHINE FOR PACKING CIGARETTES ANDLIKE ARTICLES George Daniel Horgan, London, England Application February25, 1931, Serial No. 518,184 In Great Britain March 7, 1930 15 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for packing cigarettes and. likearticles, and has for its object to provide an improved; form ofapparatus for feeding cigrettes or like articles of the type wherein thecigarettes are contained in a hopper having an outlet providedxwith thinplates or vanes arranged to form vertical channels below the saidhopper, and a conveyor operable automatically to remove the requirednumber of cigarettes from said channels.

It is found in practice that when apparatus of the kind referred to isused to feed batches of more than one row of cigarettes from thechannels at high speed, the tilting of the cigarettes in x the channelsas they fallv after the passage of the pusher piece sometimes causesthem tolodge or jam in the channels, thus preventing them from fallingevenly or smoothly.

The present invention consists. of a cigarette feeding apparatus ofthetype referred to having the lower extremities: of the vanes formedindependent of the upper portions thereof and carried in a frame movableautomatically after receiving the cigarettes from the upper vanes into aposition wherein the lower portion of each vane is arrangedsubstantially intermediate of the upper portion of two adjacent vanes.

Further, the invention comprises. a cigarette feeding apparatus of thetype referred to wherein the channels are constructed of such a width asto permit the cigarettes to fall easily therein, and means are providedfor closing the cigarettes into a compact batch after delivery from thevanes so that they may be carried along the bed. by the pusher pieces ofacontinuous conveyor.

The invention also: comprises means whereby the cigarettes may belowered in a series of stages in order to prevent undue vibration of thecigarettes and consequent loss of tobacco.

Another feature of the invention comprises means for arresting the fallof the cigarettes in one of the outer channels sothat if desired a batchconsisting of a number of rows of varying num bers of cigarettes may bedelivered, for example, a batch of cigarettes may be composed of tworows of seven cigarettes with a row ofsix cigarettes in between them, orin some cases, the row of six may be at the top or bottom of the batchwhere the style of packing permits. i The invention will be moreparticularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a cigarette feeding mechanism constructed:according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1 taken on the line A-B, with the movable framecarrying the lower vanes in a different position.

Fig. 3 is a section on line CD, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 2, partly in section, and taken in thedirection of the arrow E.

Figs. 5, 6 and '7 are details of a method of grouping cigarettes intobatches having rows containing an unequal number of cigarettes.

Fig. 8 is a view of a modified form of the invention in which thecigarettes are lowered in two stages.

Fig. 9 is a plan of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, the cigarettes are contained in a hopper land pass down the channels between a number of vanes 2 which terminatesome distance above the bed 3 of the packing machine as shown in Fig. 3.

Beneath the fixed vanes 2 are arranged a number of narrow vanes 4mounted in a movable frame 5, thus forming a kind of grid. The grid ismovable laterally by a cam- 6 operating a cam roller '7 attached to thegrid frame, the frame being guided by rods 8 moving in guides 9 fixed tothe bed of the machine and the return stroke being eifected by springs10.

The frame carrying the vanes 4 is mounted.

above the bed as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, leaving sufficient space forthe body of a pusher piece 11 carried on a continuous conveyor 12 topassbetween the lower edges of the vanes 4 and the bed, the pusher piecebeing extended to the height of, for example, three rows of cigarettesand slotted to pass through the channels as shown in Fig. 4. The gridcarrying the narrow vanes is reciprocated beneath the main vanes by thecam mechanism, as previously described, the distance of movement beingequal to half the pitch of the vanes.

The main vanes are displaced from alignment with the centre line of thebed of the packing machine by a distance equal to half the pitch of thevanes (see Fig. 1). In one position, therefore, the grid lies beneaththe main vanes so that the channels are in line and become filled withcigarettes; the grid is then moved sideways carrying the cigaretteswithin its vanes a distance equal to half the pitch of the vanes, andinto the path of the pusher piece; At the same time the filled gridsupports the remaining cigarettes in the upper vanes 2 as the gridslides beneath them. This action is shown in Fig. 4 where the pusher 11and a pair of auxiliary pushers 18 hereinafter described, are in the actof removing a batch of twenty cigarettes fromthe grid, which issimultaneously supporting the cigarettes remaining in the upper vanes.The cigarettes being removed have been omitted from Fig. i for the sakeof clearness, but reference to Fig. 5 will show the exact arrangement ofthe batch. When the pusher piece has removed the batch of cigarettes,the grid returns to its position beneath the upper vanes and thecigarettes fall to fill the grid again.

It will be seen that the grid vanes support the cigarettes in the uppervanes along their entire length so that when the gridv returns exactlybeneath the upper vanes, the upper cigarettesfall quite parallel withthe machine bed.

If desired, the fall of the cigarettes may be divided into stages toreduce the shock or" falling and prevent tobacco from dropping out ofthe ends of the cigarettes.

One method of effecting this is shown by the apparatus in Figs. 8 and 9which show a batch of two rows of cigarettes being assembled.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that two moving grids 13 and14 are used and are operated by cams 6. In the position shown in 8, bothgrids are filled with rows of cigarettes and the pusher piece of theconveyor is about to pass through these two grids and carry away the tworows of cigarettes. Immediately the pusher piece has passed, the uppergrid 1 1 moves to the left and a further row of cigarettes drops intothe channels, being supported therein by the vanes of the lower grid 13.The latter then moves to the left and as soon as it is beneath the grid14, the cigarettes fall again a distance of one row. Both grids are thensimultaneously moved to the right into the position shown in the figure,ready for the passage of the pusher piece.

When it is desired to pack cigarettes in batches comprising rows ofdifferent numbers of cigarettes, one of the outer vanes is shaped asshown in Fig. 4.

When three rows of cigarettes are removed from the vanes, the lower rowonly consists of six cigarettes as the bottom of the outer vane 15prevents the lowest cigarette in the outer vane channel from falling onto the bed of the machine.

After the batch of cigarettes has been removed from beneath the vanes itis carried between the guides 16 and a pair of narrow taperingprojections 1? on the surface of the guides re-arrange the middle row ofcigarettes in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

It will be understood that in some cases the cigarettes shown in Figs. 5and 6 may be under considerable pressure so that the outer cigarette ofthe middle row does not fall of its own accord, but has to be pusheddownwards by one of the projections 17 as shown at Fig. 5, theco-operating projection on the other guide subsequently forcing the sixcigarettes into a symmetrical position as shown at Fig. 6.

When it is desired to pack the cigarettes with only six cigarettes inthe bottom row it is merely necessary to provide a small guide or fillerindicated at 17 Fig. '7 at the corner of the guide 16, the pusher piecebeing suitably shaped to clear this.

7 When it is desired to pack the cigarettes with only six cigarettes inthe top row, the vane 15, Fig. 4, may be used to get an outside columnof two cigarettes, and these may be permitted to drop on to the bed assoon as the batch has been removed from beneath the vanes.

In order to facilitate the fall of the cigarettes in the vain slots,these are preferably made considerably wider than the diameter of acigarette and when the batch of cigarettes is removed from the channelsit is necessary to use conveying means of a width equal to the width ofthe loose batch. A single conveyor of the necessary width would be toowide to pass through the guides 16 which close in the batch to thedesired size, and to meet this difficulty the outer cigarettes on eachside of the batch are carried along by auxiliary pusher pieces 18 formedof narrow plates and carried on chain conveyors 19 which are mountedinside of the main chain conveyors 12 (see Fig. l).

After the cigarettes have been delivered into the tapering portion ofthe guide 16 so that they are bunched together closely enough for themain pusher piece to convey the same, the auxiliary pushers trip backwhen they reach the ends of the slots 23 formed in the bed 3 and inwhich they travel, and pass beneath the bed, afterwards making theirreturn journey.

The forward end of the auxiliary pusher conveyor is carried on asprocket 21, Fig. 3, from which view the action of these pushers will beeasily understood.

The method of tripping the auxiliary pushers is shown at Fig. 3, fromwhich it will be seen that the pusher 18 is hung on to the chain by apivot 22 and has a slot 23 so that the pusher 18 is capable of swingingaround the pivot 22. The guide 24 keeps the pushers in the uprightposition until the cigarettes are fairly within the guides 16 when theheel 25 of the pusher 18 leaves the rail 24 and drops downwards pivotingon the pin 22. In Fig. 3, the pusher 18 is .iust about to drop.

In some cases the auxiliary pushers may be arranged to close in towardsthe main pusher by fitting the auxiliary pushers on long pins on theirchains on which they can slide and making the necessary slots in themachine bed taper inwards towards the central slot. This construction ischiefly for use where the amount of compression given to the cigarettebatch is considerable.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes between which the cigarettes may pass, said vanes beinginterrupted to provide separate upper and lower vane sections, of meansfor displacing one of said vane sections laterally with respect to theother of said vane sections to impede the passage of cigarettes betweenthe vanes.

2. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes between which the cigarettes may pass, said vanes beinginterrupted to provide separate upper and lower vane sections, of meansfor displacing the lower of said vane sections laterally to block thepassage of cigarettes between the vanes.

3. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the com 2.

bination with a plurality of vanes between which the cigarettes maypass, said vanes being interrupted to provide separate upper and lowervane sections, of means acting automatically upon the filling of thelower. vane section from the upper vane section to effect relativelateral displacement of said vane sections for temporarily blocking thepassage of cigarettes into the lower vane section.

4. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes between which the cigarettes may pass, said vanes being formed inrelatively laterally displaceable upper and lower sections, of means forimparting relative displacement to said sections to position the vanesin one of said sections intermediate the vanes in the other of saidsections.

5. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes between which the cigarettes may pass, said vanes being formed inrelatively laterally displaceable upper and lower sections, of means forimparting relative displacement to said sections to position the vanesin one of said sections intermediate the vanes in the other of saidsections, and a conveyor for withdrawing cigarettes from the lowersection while the sections are thus relatively displaced.

6. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes between which the cigarettes may pass, said vanes being formed inrelatively laterally displaceable upper and lower sections, of means forimparting relative displacement to said sections to position the vanesin one of said sections intermediate the vanes in the other of saidsections, and a conveyor for withdrawing cigarettes from the lowersection while the sections are thus relatively displaced, said meansacting to restore the vane sections to aligned position after withdrawalof cigarettes from the lower section.

'7. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a channel forreceiving a batch of cigarettes, said channel comprising fixed guidemembers extending generally in the direction of the length of thecigarettes, of conveyor means for moving the cigarette batch endwisethrough the channel, said guide members converging in the direction ofmovement of the cigarettes to compact the batch, said conveyor meansincluding an auxiliary member for engaging and mov ing the outercigarettes on one side of the batch, and means for terminating movementof said auxiliary member in the direction of movement of said cigarettesas the latter pass within the converging portion of said channel.

8. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a channel forreceiving a batch of cigarettes, said channel comprising fixed guidemembers extending generally in the direction of the length of thecigarettes, of conveyor means for moving the cigarette batch endwisethrough the channel, said guide members converging in the direction ofmovement of the cigarettes to compact the batch, said conveyor meansincluding an auxiliary member for engaging and moving the outercigarettes on one side of the batch, and means for withdrawing saidauxiliary memher from the path of movement of said cigarettes as thelatter pass within the converging portion of said channel.

9. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a channel forreceiving a batch of cigarettes, said channel comprising fixed guidemembers extending generally in the direction of the length of thecigarettes, of conveyor means for moving the cigarette batch endwisethrough the channel, said guide members converging in the direction ofmovement of the cigarettes to compact the batch, said conveyor meanscomprising a centrally disposed pusher piece and an auxiliary pusherpiece located laterally thereof, said pusher pieces extending withinsaid channel, and means for altering the position of said auxiliarypusher piece as the cigarettes are moved into the converging portion ofsaid channel to permit the auxiliary pusher piece to clear the adjacentfixed guide member.

10. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a channel forreceiving a batch of cigarettes, said channel comprising fixed guidemembers extending generally in the direction of the length of thecigarettes, of conveyor means for moving the cigarette batch endwisethrough the channel, said guide members converging in the direction ofmovement of the cigarettes to compact the batch, said conveyor meanscomprising a centrally disposed pusher piece and auxiliary pusher pieceslocated laterally thereof, said pusher pieces extending within saidchannel, and means for altering the position of said auxiliary pusherpieces as the cigarettes are moved into the converging portion of saidchannel to permit the auxiliary pusher pieces to clear the adjacentfixed guide member.

11. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a pluralityof vanes between which the cigarettes may pass, said vanes beinginterrupted to provide at least three superposed vane sections, of meansfor imparting independent lateral displacement to said sections to alignand disalign the vanes in the several sections, whereby the cigarettesmay be permitted to pass into the two lower sections in succession.

12. In a cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a pluralityof substantially parallel vanes spaced to permit cigarettes to falltherebetween, of a plurality of superimposed vaned sections disposedbeneath said first named vanes, said first named vanes and said vanesections being relatively and independently laterally movable, wherebysaid first named vanes and either of said vaned sections may be placedin or out of alignment.

13. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes through which cigarettes may be passed to align the same intransverse rows and vertical columns with more than two cigarettes ineach column, of means associated with said vanes for blocking thedelivery path in an outer column to obtain a lesser number of cigarettestherein, and stationary means through which the cigarettes arethereafter moved for altering the row alignment of cigarettes in thesaid outer column.

14. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes through which cigarettes may be passed to align the same intransverse rows and vertical columns with more than two cigarettes ineach column, of means associated with said vanes for blocking thedelivery path in an outer column to obtain a lesser number of cigarettestherein, said means comprising an abutment in the lower row and theouter column, and stationary means through which the cigarettes arethereafter moved for altering the row alignment of cigarettes in thesaid outer column, said stationary means comprising an abutmentpositioned to extend within an intermediate row and the outer column.

15. In cigarette feeding apparatus, the combination with a plurality ofvanes between which the cigarettes may pass, said vanes beinginterrupted to provide separate upper and lower vane sections havingtheir adjacent portions normally in alignment, said vane sections beingrelatively movable to place the adjacent portions of the two sectionsout of alignment, and means for imparting such relative movement to thevane sections to block the passage of cigarettes from the upper sectionto the lower section.

GEORGE DANIEL I-IORGAN.

